Before & Afters- Weight Loss Journey

This post is the hardest one I may ever have to do… I made Lifetime Membership at Weight Watchers, today! I’ve lost a total of 50lbs, 17 by exercising at the YMCA followed by joining WW and losing the remaining 33lbs. I promised before and after pics, so here goes…

I love myself and thanks to the long walks and my loving father’s words of being kind to myself I have let that be his legacy to me . Self care , went away when my mother had a major heart attack that left her with heart damage and Congestive Heart Failure… Closing my Consignment store and caring for her really turned my world upside down, her death a few years later resulted in what I called my Weight Gaining Years.

This is me At my highest weight of 189, just as I began this journey and joined the YMCA

It took a lot out of me, to post this picture, I couldn’t even find one with a good facial expression…this was after returning from a 3 hour work out at the Y.

At least I managed a smile for this one…

This is Me after working out at the Y – 3 days a week in the pool doing a deep water aerobics, shallow aerobics and Finning. I was in the pool for about 3 hours each day… I loved it!

I lost about 17 pounds ,but I could not keep up with the 3 hour workouts as I took up homeschooling my youngest, so I maintained this for a good while before heading to Weight Watchers. I knew I needed to face my eating challlenges and once I became an emotional eater, it was set in grain and I had to change that!

I look awful after working out, but this was me after losing another 25lbs and about 4 inches each off my chest, waist and hips…this was all due to Weight Watchers and Fluidity ballet bar workouts.

Most of this was due to changing my eating habits as my workouts became very sporadic…

This was me just months after my mother’s passing in 2009, as I was trying to find something in my closet to wear for my daughter’s graduation….

A big difference this past May, at my daughter’s college Graduation.

For me these two pictures of where I was at her high school graduation and four years later at her college graduation are why this weight loss was so important to me. I want nothing more than to be healthy for my family! I didn’t want my mother’s legacy to be my weight gain and becoming unhealthy!

Dear Readers, It took a lot out of me to take a look back at myself when I was at my heaviest and the pain I was in during that time frame, as I worried and cared for my mother as she developed dementia. I cherished every moment with her during those 4years of illness , knowing that time was precious, but I ate my feelings. I thought since my father had died so young, that I would have longer with my mother, but she passed away at the age of 69. Losing my mother was a terrible experience and losing my role as a daughter added even more pain. My mother would be so happy to see my return to health as I know she worried about me a lot. As I said in my WW meeting today, I wanted to face this issue and lose this weight before I reached the age of 50 and maintain it for the rest of my life. At age 48, I met the first goal and plan to continue to work towards the second. I will continue to go to meetings and write down what I eat. I look forward to this next chapter.

I fully intended to put on workout clothes for pictures of me today, but quite frankly am emotionally exhausted and chose not to . I was not prepared for how emotiional I got while writing this post. I hope that by sharing my journey, I inspire evne just on other woman who has forgotten to take care of herself, to begin doing so immediately!

Congratulations on reaching your goal. Your parents would definitely be proud of you for taking care of yourself. I think it’s so important to look back at where you’ve come from and where you don’t want to ever go back to. You have inspired me in my my journey to take care of myself, thank you!

It really was tough to look at those photos and I’ve spent the last day and a half in tears over seeing how much pain I was in as that is what the weight represents…I wanted to share this,but wasn’t prepared for how exposed and vulnerable I feel….

Tracey, you show incredible grace and courage in sharing this journey. Thank you for being such an inspiration; I am sure both your parents would be so proud of their brave and caring daughter. What a beautiful role model you are for your family.

Hi Tracey! Finally getting some time for commenting. I commend you so much for this post as I know it was hard for you, but look how far you have come! You are such an inspiration to others out there struggling with weight loss and an example that it’s possible. I am so proud of you!!! Heather

Just found your blog and this post really hit home for me. I lost my mother to a sudden illness in 2009 and since that time I feel that my feelings of sadness have taken a toll on my health and weight. Your comment about your mother’s legacy not being your weight gain really resonated with me. I look forward to following your blog and finding inspiration through your journey. Thank you.

You are welcome and I know that my journey is something that others may resonate with, which is why I found the strength to share it. Thank you so much for letting me know that putting myself out there is worth it and of service!